Classroom Canines Are The New Teacher's Pet.

[White Shepherd mom]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news...2-1226031611793

CLASSROOM canines are the new teacher's pet.

Dogs are proving to be all ears when it comes to helping kids lick reading and literacy problems.

A dozen primary schools in Geelong have gone to the dogs, as part of a pilot program, Classroom Canines, expected to be rolled out nationally.

Instead of a teacher wagging a finger at students, would-be book worms are responding well to a happy mutt wagging a friendly tail. And rather than getting an animal stamp of approval on the hand, the students are lapping up a lick of thanks on the cheek for every tale well told.

The new and novel way of encouraging shy kids to turn a new leaf in their own education is the brainchild of former Geelong primary school teacher Glenda Bridgman.

"I took my own dog, Hamish, to school one day a week and noticed that attendances were up on those days and that the children were much more attentive," she said.

"It is commonly known that children who may be shy or awkward with an adult are less inhibited and more relaxed in the company of an animal."

The program is funded and run by the Delta Society, which aims to promote positive interaction between humans and companion animals.

Ms Bridgman said children who presented with literacy problems responded much better to remedial action taken at the earliest stages of their schooling.

Reading "teacher" Tori, a spoodle, aged three, is among a handful of dogs trained chapter and verse in how to deal with shy school kids.

[mita]

AWL Qld, on the Gold Coast, has a dog (golden retriever) with a handler (retired teacher) who visit a school for children to read to. They were seeking to expand this program & asking for similar interested owners & dogs to contact them.

[Keira&Phoenix]

Good stuff.

THey already have a program like this in the States in libraries for children with reading problems. Glad we are recognising it over here.